Month: July 2018

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

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A mushroom walks into a bar..

Bartender looks up an says “we don’t serve your kind in here”

Mushroom “Why not? I’m a fun guy”.. Fungi

What’s winter without a hearty pasta dish.. mushroom pasta

Ingredients! 

  • 2 cups of soaked cashews
  • 3 cups of veg stock
  • 400g of brown cap mushrooms (sliced or quartered)
  • 1 large brown onion
  • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika
  • 1/2 a cup of thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 3 cups of pre-cooked gluten free pasta spirals

Method!

  • First, place soaked cashews and 2 cups of veg stock into blender and pulse into a smooth paste, set aside.
  • Next, heat oil in pan and saute onions till soft, add garlic and cook for a further 4 mins.
  • Add mushroom and cook until mushrooms are browning on edges.
  • Add cup of veg stock and simmer for 5 mins.
  • Next add the pasta, the sun-dried tomatoes, paprika and cashew paste.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Mix and enjoy.

mushroom pasta1

Sneaky tip: if you put your mushrooms in the sun they absorb the vitamin D and give you that extra boost. 

Katri x

 

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Cabbage Soup (Diet?)

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Cabbage soup 2

I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last night. The Rotten Tomatoes reviews aren’t very good for that movie, however, I find that most people who write reviews try too hard and only like complex art house movies and reject anything main stream or feel good. Like all those people who pretend to understand and respect rubbish art because they’re too afraid to say they have no idea whats going on.

Anyway, I love that movie, I love the long board scene. Mostly I just love this idea that an ordinary guy (girl) can suddenly be thrust into adventure. Always be open to a little adventure. It’s a big world out there, there’s always more.. always.

As I write this I’m enjoying cabbage soup for breakfast. I remember when I was a teenager the Cabbage Soup Diet was all the rage and making the rounds promising quick weight-loss. I even tried it, starved for a whole week. The actual soup is pretty nice though, watery, doesn’t leave you feeling full or bloated. I made a version in the slow cooker a couple of days ago. However, this time I’m enjoying it with a sneaky bit of garlic bread.

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 head of cabbage (chopped)
  • 1 cup of carrot (diced)
  • 1 cup of celery (diced)
  • 1 brown onion (diced)
  • 4 cups of veg stock
  • 2 cans of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp of oregano
  • 1/2 tsp of paprika
  • Touch of black pepper
  • Sprinkle of salt

Method

Cabbage soup

  • Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker on high for 6 hours

Keeps in the fridge for about 3 days.. If you want to do the actual diet:

Eat as much cabbage soup as you like! And..

  • Day 1 – Eat only fruits, except bananas
  • Day 2 – Start the day with a baked potato, then only non-starchy vegetables
  • Day 3 – Only fruits and vegetables (expect starchy ones or bananas)
  • Day 4 – Only bananas, yogurt (can be vegan) and milk (or alternative)
  • Day 5 – Only tomatoes and proteins
  • Day 6 – only veggies (no starchy ones) and proteins
  • Day 7 – Only fruits, vegetables and juices (no bananas or starchy vegetables)

Either-way, cabbage is loaded with nutrients and is super healthy so get it in ya!

cabbage

Katri x

 

 

Quinoa

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Yum what a super food. I’ve had few days of relaxing and eating junk, however you can start to feel pretty slack after a while, weighed down and bloated. Now as a gluten-free vegan it’s not burgers and pizza that I’ve been feasting on, but processed rubbish and chips, you know the drill. Anyway university goes back next week, I’ve got heaps of work to do, kids to raise and gym workouts to get to.

Ninja Warrior is on at the moment, and if that’s not an inspiration to get back to healthy eating I don’t know what is. Anyway, I’m having quinoa with steam veg for lunch today, and as my main meal. Quinoa

Quinoa has twice the protein content of rice or barley, quinoa is also a very good source of calcium, magnesium and manganese. It also contributes useful levels of several B vitamins, vitamin E and dietary fiber. And it’s a good gluten-free alternative to other grains. Nom nom. 

Ingredients 

  • Steamed broccoli and cauliflower florets.
  • 1 cup of red organic quinoa (follow the instructions on the pack, or double amount of salted water to the amount of quinoa, bring to boil and simmer for 10-15mins. I cook mine in vegetable stock, adds flavour).
  • 1/2 a sliced avocado
  • 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon.

Method

  • Bang it all together once all the elements are prepared. Organic-Quinoa-Red-Seeds-Scoop

Nom nom

Katri x

 

Butter Chick(en)pea

Katri1 Comment

I got to work early this morning. Decided to have breakfast at my desk. Curry and potatoes. I’m trying out his new thing where I eat only 1 meal a day and maybe a fruit snack or something in-between.

The discussions around the office this morning where related to a young lady who was killed at the hands of her partner. With comments like this floating around:

“So I hate to say this, but have you seen the pictures of that girl, she looks much older, pulling duck faces and dressing inappropriately”

Which got the reply:

“There’s always a reason”

Comments like this aren’t uncommon when females are brutally murdered, raped or maimed. People start looking at them with a critical eye, trying to find some reason that they might be responsible for their own demise. As though, somehow, murder, rape and acid attacks are less severe if someone was “asking for it”. Similar comments where expressed last week when a woman was raped and murdered in Princess Park Melbourne.

“Why was she walking on her own, how irresponsible”.

These might not be the sentiments of the news coverage or the people who work in protective industries, but it is the sentiments I hear from everyday people. Anyway, call it out.

We can’t force progress. Attitudes, ignorance and opinions change with time and exposure. What we can do is warm our souls and bellies with yummy food. This Butter Chick(en)pea was really great even though the pics make it look a little gluggish. 🙂 Butter Chicken1

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of oil
  • 1 large brown onion (chopped)
  • 3 tablespoons of chopped ginger
  • 3 tablespoons of minced garlic (or a few cloves crushed)
  • 1 tablespoon of garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon of ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of chili powder
  • 5 cardamon pods
  • 1 tin of crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup of coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 cup of cashews (soaked and blended to create a rough paste)
  • 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 1 tin of chickpeas
  • 2 cups of any chopped veg you like (I used zucchini)

Let’s Cook!

  • Heat the oil in a pan, once hot saute the onion until it is soft. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a minute more.
  • Next add all the spices, garam masala, turmeric, coriander, cumin, chili and cardamon pods, stir until fragrant.
  • Add the tomatoes and water. Scrape the pan to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom. bring to the boil then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Pour all the ingredients into a blender from the pan, with the cashews and blend until smooth.
  • Return the blended sauce to the pan, add the coconut milk, and sugar and chickpeas and veg, heat till happy with the state of veg.. Serve! Butter Chicken2

Katri x